The

z main Chapter Three

Geographical
Features of the United
Arab Emirates
z
Introduction
 This chapter explores the astronomical and relative location and size as
well as the shape of the UAE through a study of its political borders.
 The chapter also describes the UAE topographical phenomena shaping the
land of the country through its three divisions:
1. the coastal strip
2. the mountainous region
3. and the interior desert region.
 Moreover, this chapter discusses the climatic conditions of the UAE and the
most important freshwater resources, in addition to the Emirati islands, as
an important part of the topography of the country. Besides, the chapter
sheds light on the economic importance of the country’s geographical
location.
 z
The Geographical Location of the UAE
 The geographical location of any country
in the world is a mirror of the important
features that contribute to the maritime
and territorial characteristics of the
country. It also plays a pivotal role in the
economic policies integral to the
sustainable development projects and
future policies of any country.

 An analysis of the geographical location of

the territory of the UAE, reveals the
intermediate position of the country
among tourist and commercial areas as
clarified on the world map.

 Example: London-> Dubai = 5500 Km and

Dubai->Beijing = 5700 Km
 z
The Geographical Location of the UAE

 The geographical location is not the only element which affects

the development and growth of economic activities in any
country in the world. There are other factors including
governmental policies which leave their imprint and impact on
development.
 z
The Importance of the Astronomical and Geographical location of
the UAE

 The UAE lies between

22°30′ and 26° north
latitude (north of the
equator) and between 51°
and 56°25′ east longitude.
 The UAE territories are
located within the tropical
warm climate scale
z
The Importance of the Astronomical and
Geographical location of the UAE
 The UAE population was affected by its geographical location,
which overlooks two major water bodies. The UAE borders the
open water of the Gulf of Oman which extends for 90 kilometers
on the east and borders the Arabian Gulf which extends for more
than 620 km.
 The Location has affected the quality of economic activities
practiced by the residents of the country who became interested
in diving for pearls and fishing besides being involved in trade,
navigation and commercial enterprises.
z
The Political Borders of the UAE

 The total area of the country excluding islands is estimated at

77,700 square kilometers..
z
The geometrical shape

 The geometrical shape corresponding to the form of the UAE is

the trapezoidal–angled shape or the right-angled triangle.
z
z
The Physical Characteristics of the
UAE
 The natural characteristics of the territory of the United Arab
Emirates are manifold including plains, mountains, sand dunes,
coasts and islands. These natural characteristics have contributed
to the topographical, climatic and environmental diversity
 This diversity has left its impact on the style of living and the quality
of economic activities practiced by the inhabitants of the land since
ancient times. They also left their imprint on the local people’s
ability to adapt to life in those environments. The topography of any
country usually plays an important role in the formation of the
natural environment, such as high temperatures, the wind speed,
precipitation and water sources.
z
The most important terrain areas:

 The Coastline:
1. The East Coast
2. The West Coast
 The Gravel Plains
 Highlands
1. Heights of the mountaintops
2. The Heights of AlShemeiliyya
 The UAE Wadis / Valleys
 Plains and Sandy Dunes areas
 The UAE Islands
z
The Coastline

 The UAE territories are bordering two coasts: the west coast and the east
coast.
 The territories located on the west coast overlook the waters of the Arabian
Gulf whereas the lands located on the east coast overlook the Gulf of
Oman.
 These deep-water fronts vary from coast to coast. While the depth of waters
of the Gulf of Oman is more than 60 meters, the depth of the Arabian Gulf
waters is about 20 meters.
 The waters of these coasts are affected by the water currents sweeping
them, particularly the current of water passing through the Gulf of Oman to
the Arabian Gulf with an estimated speed of 1.5 miles per hour as a result
of the differing water quality in both watercourses in terms of temperature,
salinity and density.
z
The East Coast
 This coast land includes the territory that stretches between the
Ras Dibba area in the north to the Kalba creek region in the south.
 It extends for a length of 90 km and a width ranging from a few
meters to 10 kilometers in some areas.
 This coast is characterized by the existence of several alluvial fans
and the spread of Alseyouh which are flat plain areas containing
small stones.
 This coast is given several names such as the Batinah plain and
the plain of AlShemeiliyya
 Deep valley spread across the central coastal areas and the coast
is characterized by the scarcity of islands. However, the coast
contains some marine obelisks, which consists of igneous rocks.
z
What are Alluvial Fans?

 An alluvial fan is a triangle-shaped deposit of gravel, sand, and

even smaller pieces of sediment, such as silt. This sediment is
called alluvium.
 Alluvial fans are usually created as flowing water interacts with
mountains, hills, or the steep walls of canyons. Streams carrying
alluvium can be trickles of rainwater, a fast-moving creek, a
powerful river, or even runoff from agriculture or industry. As a
stream flows down a hill, it picks up sand and other particles—
alluvium.
 The rushing water carries alluvium to a flat plain, where the stream
leaves its channel to spread out. Alluvium is deposited as the
stream fans out, creating the familiar triangle-shaped feature.
z

Alluvial Fans Across the World

z
The Most Important Alluvial Fans in the
UAE East Coast
z
Fans of the East Coast

 Agricultural land is extending in areas where alluvial fans are

found. Thanks to the alluvial fans, the soil becomes fertile which
attracts a population concentration that has settled in these
areas since ancient times.
z
Khors : Other water formations

 There are also some water tongues or the so-called Khors /

creeks, including Khorkalba (the Kalba creek) where mangroves
(Crimea) grow on its coasts, and Khor Fakkan (the Fakkan
creek) which constitutes a natural harbor on the East Coast
since ancient times.
 In addition, there is the creek of Dibba in the northern part of the
East Coast of the UAE.
z
Strategic and Economic importance of
the East Coast
 The East Coast is one of the important and strategic areas in the
UAE where its waters overlook an open sea area (Indian Ocean)
and its territory is located outside the Arab Gulf entrance (the Strait
of Hormuz)
 Across the East Coast, the UAE has established oil refineries and
areas of assembly of oil components exported abroad without
having to go through the Strait of Hormuz.
 Obviously, population centers are concentrated in the cities of
Dibba, Khorfakkan, Fujairah and Kalba. The East Coast is one of
the most significant regions in the export of basic construction
materials such as cement and all kinds of rock crumbs.
z
The West Coast
 The West Coast extends for 640
 The quality of the geological composition of the west coast vary
from place to place.
 For example, ancient geological formations appear in the
northwestern region of the mountain areas, which consist mainly
of the Musandam limestone formations, and the formation of
local grand stones as in the areas Rams and Shaam in Ras Al
Khaimah.
 In the southern regions of the west coast, the majority of the
geological compositions include sandy carbonate formations.
These formations appear in the sediments of the coastal
marshes and beach sediments as in the neighboring areas of
the island of Abu Dhabi.
z
z
The UAE West Coast
z
Formations and Borders

 Extensive sandy sediments in the form of dunes spread across

the north-eastern regions of the west coast. Sandy sediments
also sprawl in the areas of Jebel Ali in Dubai located to the west
of Abu Dhabi City.
 The west coast is characterized by the diversity of morphological
characteristics and the coast stretches from the northern regions
of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah at the foot of the mountains in
the area of Shaam. Then, the coast gradually expands
whenever it turns southward where it meets with the sand dunes
and marshy areas near the land border with Saudi Arabia in the
south.
z
Characteristics

 The coast is characterized by its natural creeks such as the

Dubai Creek, Ajman and Sharjah Creeks. The coast also
abounds with natural islands and coral reefs, especially in the
southern and south-western regions.
 z
The Gravel Plains
 The gravel plains are those flat lands of the earth’s surface which are
often made up of sand, gravel and grit particles formed at the exits of
the valleys that descend from the Oman Mountain series located to the
west of the territory of the United Arab Emirates.
 These gravel plains are arable (water) whenever appropriate amounts
of water are available. There is some vegetation that feeds the animals
that live in these plains.
 The UAE local people give different names to the gravel plain calling it
(Alseeh) or (Aljaw) or (Alyaw). These gravel plains extend from the Ras
Al Khaimah region and specifically from Wadi Beej in the north to the
deposits of Wadi Eideh in the south, then they reappear in the Aljaw
plain in the Al Ain region where their width is estimated at about 25 km.
z
The Gravel Plains

 These plains permeate some hills like Mount Maliha and Mount
AlFayah and these plains are widening in some areas for up to
about 16 km.
 These plains include some human population settlements who
have stayed there since ancient times. The UAE residents
settled in these plains due to the availability of water and fertile
soil that have contributed to the prosperity of the agricultural
activity in the past periods that preceded the establishment of
the UAE Federation in the early seventies.
z
The Gravel Plains

 The Almaareed and Alnakheel areas in Ras Al Khaimah are

considered as the most important human settlements in the
north of the gravel plains, while the longer areas of Manama, Al
Dhaid and Maliha are the most important settlements located in
the central regions of the plains.
 Moreover, Alfoa area and the regions located near Jebel Hafeet
are among the most important human settlements in the plains
areas in the southern part.
z
The Highlands

 The mountain heights are among the most important terrain in the UAE because
of their diversity in terms of geological formations and geomorphological
phenomena deployed in the northern and north-eastern parts.
 These mountains are considered a natural extension of the Oman Mountain
series. They stretch from the northern regions adjacent to the Omani borders
with a length of 155 km to the nearby city of Al Ain in the south and with a width
ranging from 10-37 km in some southern parts.
 These heights are called several names, including AlShemeiliyya Mountains and
the stone mountains are due to the diversity of the ranges of the mountain series
in addition to the diversity of the geological formations in the region.
 Some parts of these mountains are composed of igneous rocks and
metamorphic rocks where others contain calcareous sedimentary rocks dating
back to the Cretaceous age.
z
Satellite vision of the mountainous
heights in the UAE
z
Mountains

 One can divide the mountainous areas in the UAE into three
sections:
 The heights of the mountaintops.
 AlShemeiliyya
 isolated mountain heights.
z
Heights of the mountaintops

 They extend from Musandam in the north ( Oman ) to the crack

of Dibba in the south.
 These mountains include the highest peaks which reach a
height of 1934 m from the surface of the earth.
 These mountains are permeated by many deep valleys that
descend from the east and end their courses on the west side of
the Arabian Gulf coast.
 z
The Heights of AlShemeiliyya
 This mountain bloc is given numerous scientific and local titles such as Alsamayel Mountains
mass and the Fiery Sheeted mass and the Central Mountain mass in addition to the heights
of AlShemeiliyya.
 They stretch from the northern area of Dibba to the political borders of the UAE with the
Sultanate of Oman in the south.
 These mountains constitute a huge and expansive mass of igneous rocks with subterranean
origin.
 This mountain mass was transformed into heights after being subjected to coldness in the
ground and in the aftermath of the crystallization of its minerals.
 At its western side there was an overlap between this mountain series and Alhawwasneh
configurations ( dolomitic limestone and metamorphic rocks and other fiery formations).
 The length of this mountain mass is approximately 90 km and its width ranges between 45-60
km on the side of the eastern coast of the UAE until the gravel plain areas in the West. Its
height ranges between 1000 to 1500 m above the ground.
 Therezis a mountain located in the Sir Bani Yas Island, which
does not exceed a height of 140 m. Additionally, there are some
highlands, which consist of newly formed rocks, which were
formed in the third geological time (66 million years ago) such as
Jebel Hafeet, the Alfaya Mountain and the Maliha Mount, which
can be seen to the right of the land route linking Maliha and
Almadam area and which is intersected by the highway between
Kalba and Sharjah in the central region of the Emirate of
Sharjah.
 These heights are composed of several limestone rock
formations from bottom to top, known as Hafeet configurations
besides other industrial configurations.
 These heights are topped with air limestone formations as found
in Jebel Hafeet located in the Al Ain region.
z
The UAE Wadis / Valleys

 The Wadis were considered as the main sources of water in the period before
the establishment of the UAE Federal Union. Many of the villages and cities of
the UAE are located on the mouths and trails of the wadis such as Albathna,
Masafi, Fujairah and Kalba.
 Wadis are watercourses formed as a result of tectonic lifting operations since the
Miocene age (23 million years ago).
 Most of the wadis dug their streams in the rocks and formed deep river gorges
with high and steep sides whose cross-sections are V-shaped.
 The streams of the wadis stretch along the surfaces of the cracks and areas of
geological weakness in the northeastern parts of the United Arab Emirates.
 In the UAE there are more than 30 major Wadis fed by deep mountainous
tributaries as in the case of the Wadi of Dibba and Wadi Ham.
z
Most Important Wadis in the UAE
z
Importance of Wadis

 In the pre- Federation era these wadis had a significant

economic importance. They constituted favorite locations for
population centers.
 Some of the water in these wadis was available throughout the
year, such as the water in Wadi Alseeji and Wadi Albathna.
 In recent years, the majority of these wadis become dry except
for some periods following rainfall in the winter months. At that
time, they are transformed into tourist areas attracting the local
population.
z
Plains and Sandy Dunes areas

 The plains and sand dunes occupy most of the territory of the
United Arab Emirates extending mainly from the central regions of
the north until the western regions at Liwa and the Empty Quarter in
the south, thus covering three - quarters of the country’s total area.
 This area is a natural extension of the areas of the Empty Quarter.
The plains and sand dunes areas are not flat as seen through the
visual space and satellite images. The sand dune areas may rise in
the western regions to more than 300 meters above the ground.
 The sand dunes area is called (Qarn) by the local community, such
as the Qarn Bint Saud area which has a height of 325 meters
above the ground.
 z
The UAE Islands

 The UAE islands are of particular importance to the population. The islands
constitute one of the terrain systems because the country’s space / area is not
limited to the dry land only, but extends to its marine areas.
 In the United Arab Emirates, there are more than 200 islands of a variety of
origin, size and shape.
 Some of the islands are close to the coast line. The other islands are situated
away from the coast line and are located in the territorial waters of the country.
 In general, the islands in the UAE can be divided on the basis of differences in
the site, the overall shape of the islands and their varying size besides the
geological composition as illustrated in the following section (Table 1).
z Geological Area Form Location
Configurations

high level Big-sized Oval islands. Near the

islands and islands. Arzena- coastline
salt domes that Delma-Sir Sir Bani Yas- Alwaheel-:
date Bani Yas- Delma Buhail-
back to the Abu-Alabyad Alsadiyyat
Cambrian Cross-sectional
era. :shaped Islands Far from the
AbuAlabyad coast line :Das
and - Abu-Mousa
Qarnein-low Moroh -Greater-and
level islands, Small-sized Lesser Tunbs
low terrain, islands. Longitudinal
recent Salaha – shaped
geological age. Alhomr-Esh Islands
Algharabi- :AbuDhabi
Alfeteesi- and Dabeiyya
Buksheisha.
z
Importance of the Islands

 It was known that these islands played a vital role in the periods preceding the
Federal Union where the inhabitants used them in their marine movement and in
their communication with neighboring areas by virtue of their residence near
these water bodies.
 For example, during the pearl diving era, these islands were used as places of
rest for the pearl-diving ships and the divers used them as a refuge during the
period of high sea waves and the occurrence of severe storms. These islands
constitute an integral part of the UAE territories.
 There is no doubt that these islands have valuable strategic and economic
importance. For example, the islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb and Abu
Musa are Emirati islands captured by Iran by force. The Iranian invaders
captured and expelled the Emirati residents from these islands. Currently, the
UAE is still seeking a diplomatic means to recover the islands from Iran.
z
Importance of the Islands

 Currently, the UAE is still seeking a diplomatic means to recover the islands from
Iran.
 These islands are economic treasures that could be exploited in economic,
residential and tourism projects to provide job opportunities and attract tourists.
 There are multiple sources of livelihoods in these islands that could be beneficial
to the local population.
 The natural resources in the islands such as oil wealth can be exploited in
addition to taking advantage of the rock stockpiles which will benefit the
population and the surrounding environment.
 The UAE Government has built several tourist and agricultural projects on many
of these islands which has contributed to attract populations and commercial /
economic projects, paving the way for the possibility of more development in
these areas in future.
 z
Climatic Conditions
 Climatic characteristics are among the natural factors which affect human life on
earth, anywhere and anytime. According to human physical composition, human
beings could not bear a sharp decline or rise in temperature, and the pattern of
human life is affected when the degree of humidity substantially increases in the
air. Human productivity significantly declines and deteriorates in the case of high
temperatures coupled with high humidity.
 There is no doubt that the majority of the world’s countries have attempted to
modify environmental conditions in which man lives in order to increase
productivity. Explicitly, climate elements including solar radiation, temperature,
atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity and rainfall greatly affect the daily lives of
the residents of the United Arab Emirates.
z
Climatic Conditions

 Therefore the working hours in the summer months are reduced,

particularly with regard to work in open spaces. The government
has enacted strict laws to protect the lives of laborers in the
afternoon periods during summer.
 The UAE territory is covered by more than 65 meteorological
stations to monitor the weather conditions on a daily basis.
These meteorological stations are equipped with the latest
equipment and devices for monitoring the status of air
temperatures and atmospheric pressure, wind speed and
humidity and rainfall.
z meteorological
z
stations in the
UAE in 2013

 There are four major

elements affecting the
climate characteristics in
the UAE:

1. Temperature.

2. Wind and Air masses

3. Humidity

4. Rain.
z
Temperature

 Temperatures in the UAE rise during the summer months (June and July),
reaching an average of 47 degrees Celsius.
 Temperatures drop to reach 2-7 degrees Celsius in some of the winter months
(January and February), particularly in the northern regions as monitored by the
Mount Jess station in Ras Al Khaimah at the height of 1,739 m from the surface
of the Earth.
 It is known that the high temperature range significantly affects the quality of
agricultural crops grown in any agricultural region, causing a loss of the
agricultural production during the big change in temperature over a short period
during any 24-hours.
 Rising temperatures negatively affect labor productivity and increase the
operating costs of factories and related institutions. It also adds additional
burdens on the production of electricity generators particularly during the
summer months.
z
Wind and Air Masses

 The air masses affecting the United Arab Emirates territory

constitute basic components which contribute to the temperature
differences in the periods of the summer months and the winter
season. It also affects the amount of rainfall on the UAE.
 In the summer times, the UAE is exposed to continental / tropical
air masses coming from Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. These
continental / tropical air masses are hot and dry causing dust and
whirlwinds which are useful for farmers in terms of affecting the
speed of maturation of some of the fruits of palm trees. But, at the
same time, these air masses result in the damage and loss of some
agricultural crops, especially the mango fruits.
z
Wind and Air Masses

 In winter, the UAE is affected by the polar air masses coming

from the northern regions of the continent, especially from Iraq,
Turkey and Russia which lead to a drop in temperature.
 Some air masses of tropical marine sources blowing from the
Indian Ocean have an effect on some areas of the Sultanate of
Oman (Salalah).
 These tropical marine air masses constitute a seasonal
phenomenon and result in rainfall on the Omani territory. The
extended impact of these masses sometimes reaches the UAE
territory.
z
Humidity

 The rate of humidity has a direct impact on the mental and

physical activity of human beings in general. There is an
increase in the humidity rate, coupled with the increasing
degrees of heat, during the summer months, especially in the
UAE cities situated on the coastline and coastal areas such as
Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah.
z
Rain

 The amount of rain that falls on the UAE ranges from 110 to 120
millimeters per year.
 The amount of rainfall increases during the winter months,
particularly in the northern areas of the United Arab Emirates
which is higher in range than the western regions.
z
Fresh water sources and water
security in the UAE
 The UAE is categorized among the world’s poorest countries in groundwater
resources.
 With no permanent flowing rivers exist in the UAE, and in the past, groundwater
constituted the most important traditional sources of water in the country.
 Currently, there are 24 government and quasi-governmental and private
institutions concerned with the issue of water in the UAE: Ten government
institutions and seven quasi-governmental institutions besides seven private
institutions. Four government agencies are also working in drinking fresh water
systems including the Federal Authority for Electricity and Water, the Water and
Electricity Authority of Abu Dhabi, Dubai Electricity and Water, and the Electricity
and Water Authority in Sharjah.
 The tariff value of the drinking water in the UAE ranges between 1-4 fils per
gallon depending on the amount of daily consumption. This pricing policy aims to
alleviate the burden on the population
z
The most important traditional and non-
traditional water sources
in the UAE
 Springs
 The Aflaj
 Artesian Wells
 Dams
 Desalination Stations
 Sewage Water
z
Springs

 These underground water sources gush forth to the surface

naturally without human intervention. These springs are formed
as a result of subterranean operations in underground areas
containing volcanic hot gases as well as the result of the
movement of groundwater or any other volcanic material over
special kinds of volcanic rocks.
 In the UAE, there are still four operational springs used mainly
for touristic purposes: (Ain Khet) in Ras Al Khaimah, (Ain Madab
and Ain Laghmor) in Fujairah and (Ain Alfayda) in the city of
Alain.
z
The Aflaj

 The Falaj is an ancient method used in the delivery of fresh spring

water from the springs and high-water areas. Aflaj (plural of Falaj)
are usually constructed on ground above the earth’s surface.

 The Aflaj water is divided once it reaches the villages and

agricultural fields. This division is made according to traditional
calculations recognized by the local population in the period before
the establishment of the Federal Union.

 Historically, Falaj AlSarooj, Falaj AlAweyna, Falaj Masfoot, Falaj

AlHowailat, Falaj Al Mualla,Falaj Al Dhaid, and Falaj AlManama are
the most important Aflaj in the UAE.
 z

z
Aflaj
z
Artesian Wells

 The well is a man-made vertical drilling in the formations bearing

groundwater in order to feed the population centers and agricultural areas
with water supplies.
 The depth of wells vary from 5 to 50 meters in the ground, depending on
the layers containing groundwater.
 At present the number of wells operating in the country is about 109
thousand wells which produce nearly 80 million gallons of water per day.
This water supply is utilized for the irrigation of agricultural crops and forest
projects while the rest is designated for household uses.
 Clearly, 98 % of these water producing wells are located in the Emirate of
Abu Dhabi while the rest are distributed in the rest of the other Emirates.
z
Dams

 the federal government has built more than 63 dams on the

streams of the main wadis to reserve the flood water that will be
used in different purposes. It will provide the aquifers in the UAE
territories with sufficient supplies to compensate for the loss of
the amount of water.
 The dam water will also be used for drinking purposes. In winter
the dams are targeted by Emiratis and non-Emiratis as touristic
destinations, particularly in the mountainous areas.
z
Desalination Stations

 In the UAE there are approximately 47 productive desalination

plants using several techniques in water desalination operations. It
is known that 77% of these plants are public stations and the rest
are private stations.
 The total production capacity of these ,plants is more than one
billion gallons of water per day.
 At present, the government is constructing nine new desalination
plants with a productivity capacity of more than 300 million gallons
of water per day to meet the future needs of water supplies in the
country, especially after the success of the United Arab Emirates in
winning the organization of the World Expo2020.
z
Sewage Water

 Despite the large amounts of water consumed for irrigation, domestic and
industrial use, the processed quantities of this water is still limited because most
of the sewage water treatment plants are located in large cities such Abu Dhabi,
Al Ain, Dubai and Sharjah.
 At present there are more than 32 sewage water treatment plant in the UAE
distributed in most large cities in the country with a capacity of 237 million
gallons per day.
 The average water consumption per capita in the country is estimated at nearly
550 liters of water daily compared to the global average of 330 liters of water
consumption per day.
 The federal and local government has enacted laws and regulations relevant to
the rationalization of water consumption in the country, such as the Law No.(2)
for the year 1998 on the establishment of Regulation and Supervision Bureau for
the water and electricity sector in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.
z
The Importance of the Contribution of Natural,
Economic and Human
Resources in the Economic Stability of the UAE
 Thanks to the leaders of the UAE, the country has enjoyed security
and stability since its foundation in 1971. The current stability and
the policy of transparency in dealing with the global institutions led
the UAE to overcome several economic hurdles, particularly the
global economic crisis in 2008. The government has succeeded in
the economic exploitation of the natural resources (a broader term
than the term wealth) which greatly affected the transformation of
the UAE into a safe haven for global investments and companies
operating in the GCC markets.
 The UAE government was able to exploit the geographical location
of the country for the benefit of the population and regional society.